Pre-freshman game set for Saturday at Tottenville

Staten Island Advance file photoMike Viegas, left, was the MVP of the 2007 pre-freshman game and this season was Farrell's starting running back.Curtis and Tottenville high schools recently played for the PSAL city championship and there are now 11 local schools competing in football.

And many of those athletes got their gridiron starts in the several youth football programs on the Island. Also, many of those same youngsters first made their abilities known in the Lt. Nick Lia Pre-Freshmen Invitational game.

The list of youngsters who have played in this game is loaded with Advance All Stars. Some, like Dominick LeGrande, the game’s first MVP, have gone on to perform at the Division I level (Boston College) and many who played in this year’s city championshp contest, including Dominique Easley, James Timmins, Marvin Staten, Jonathan Derbyshire, Shaquan Coles, Aevry Wright and Kenny Coughlin.

The future will be on display again tomorrow when 40 players from the Island’s four big organizations, the Staten Island Boys Football League, the Staten Island Hurricanes, the Staten Island Pee Wee Football League and the Richmond County Plainsmen showcase their talents in the seventh annual event at 1 p.m. at Tottenville HS, Huguenot.

“For a variety of reasons we haven’t always been able to get all of the Island’s youth programs on board,” said Dr. Eugene Mosiello, the driving force behind the Lt. Nick Lia Foundation, “but I’m so glad that they are all involved this year. It is truly a wonderful thing for the kids and to have Nick Lia’s name attached to it is even more satisfying.

“This is something Nick would have loved to be involved in.”

Mark Newberry, a prime mover in this event from the beginning, feels its a great opportunity for the players.

“The goal is to showcase the eighth-graders who are standout kids and get them in touch with the high school coaches before they get to high school,” Newberry said. “Each year we have had the coaches talk to them about the transition they will be going through as well as maintaining their grades.”